# Cigar wrapper cracking during smoke?!



## ni8shadow (Jul 25, 2010)

Just smoked a RP Vint. '92 and into the last part of the 2nd third, the wrapper started to crack/peel in a small spot. Kept puffing and later it got worse. See the attached.

I got the cigar from CI about 5 days ago and kept it in my humidor. RH is about 70%-72%. I smoked others from the same shipment before and did not have issues. I still got the nutty, creamy flavors but towards the end I could see the binder so I nubbed it.

What are the reasons for this?


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## PunchMan6 (Feb 14, 2010)

it happens brother...could depend on the humidity in the air, or if you were in the bright sun, or maybe its a tad over humidified?? Could be just a bad stick...Ive had it happen a few times, mostly with sticks from the BM or when Im in the pool in the sun!!! Dont sweat it, next one will be perfect...


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## Suzza (Mar 18, 2010)

The cigar was definitely too moist.

When there is too much moisture in a cigar, it will turn to steam while you are smoking it. The cigar will then expand and it will crack/explode. 70%-72% RH is too moist for smoking and cigars stored at these RH levels should be dry-boxed before smoking. It's best to just keep your sticks at 65% RH because it's perfect for storing AND smoking.


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## ni8shadow (Jul 25, 2010)

I'm using one boveda packet at 72%. Hoe can I alter the RH? And what is dry boxing? Leaving it in a box for a day? Thanks for the knowledge!


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## Suzza (Mar 18, 2010)

ni8shadow said:


> I'm using one boveda packet at 72%. Hoe can I alter the RH? And what is dry boxing? Leaving it in a box for a day? Thanks for the knowledge!


Yes dry-boxing a cigar is leaving it in a non humidified box. 1 day is usually long enough. But like I said you really should store your cigars at 65% RH. As for your packets, you will need to buy new ones because there is no way to adjust them. You should buy the 69% packs which in a wooden humidor will keep your sticks at around 65%-68% RH. They are cheapest here which is where I buy them: Amazon.com: Boveda Humidifier 69%: Home & Garden


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## Nickerson (Mar 19, 2009)

Now for the question of all questions... Do you try to peel off the cracked parts and risk it getting worse? Or do you try your best to hold it together as is?

If the cigar splits during the cut, I leave the cigar band on and slide it up to the top. I use to use my fingers to try and hold the wrapper down so it wouldn't get worse and unravel the entire wrapper. Much easier to slide the cigar band up and let it hold it for you.


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## Jeep (Jul 7, 2010)

Its not you its the cigar makers fault. If you put tobacco that is at various levels of "cure" together they will expand and contract differently. Your wrapper was more moist than your binder. Now that it dried out it cracked. It could also be that your filler was dry and now that it has picked up moisture it has expanded past the amount the tight wrapper could handle. It isn't your storage. Try keeping things in the mid 60% relative humidity instead of 72%.


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## bhuang61 (Jun 3, 2010)

End your humidity worries and go with Heartfelt beads. I have no connection with them (just a satisfied customer). These things are rock solid at 65%. Get more than enough beads for your storage solution and quit worrying.

Heartfelt Industries, Heartfelt Cigar Humidor Humidity Beads, Heartfelt Beads, Humidors, Quality Cigar Accessories


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

Guys! I really don't get what you're telling this guy.

Sure, too much moisture could be the problem, but I happen to be smoking an Oliva G Robusto Maduro right now and the wrapper let loose at the half-way mark! This cigar has been in my best humidor, for over a year. That humidor has an over abundance of 65 beads in it! So, riddle me this: why did that wrapper let loose??

Caveat: I know the answer. I'm testing you.

Opine away!


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## phager (Jun 28, 2010)

Herf N Turf said:


> Guys! I really don't get what you're telling this guy.
> 
> Sure, too much moisture could be the problem, but I happen to be smoking an Oliva G Robusto Maduro right now and the wrapper let loose at the half-way mark! This cigar has been in my best humidor, for over a year. That humidor has an over abundance of 65 beads in it! So, riddle me this: why did that wrapper let loose??
> 
> ...


Let's see what I've learned... My first question for you is, what's the RH where you're smoking? IIRC the RH of your smoking area can definitely cause burn issues and likely wrapper cracking, if you go for a 60 -65% humidor to a 85 - 90% outside area.

Am I close?


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## Stench (Aug 17, 2009)

I think you're right Pat. Outside humidity can really mess up a good smoke!


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## Emdee (Jun 16, 2010)

I had this on a few recently but it was mostly down to the band glue being stuck to the wrapper and me wanting to smoke further down  hehe


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

phager said:


> Let's see what I've learned... My first question for you is, what's the RH where you're smoking? IIRC the RH of your smoking area can definitely cause burn issues and likely wrapper cracking, if you go for a 60 -65% humidor to a 85 - 90% outside area.
> 
> Am I close?


Admirable, but the rH in my house right now is 62%. No where near enough to scare a wrapper.


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

ni8shadow said:


> Just smoked a RP Vint. '92 and into the last part of the 2nd third, the wrapper started to crack/peel in a small spot. Kept puffing and later it got worse. See the attached.
> 
> I got the cigar from CI about 5 days ago and kept it in my humidor. RH is about 70%-72%. I smoked others from the same shipment before and did not have issues. I still got the nutty, creamy flavors but towards the end I could see the binder so I nubbed it.
> 
> What are the reasons for this?


To stay on topic and be helpful, let's revisit Mr Shadow's OP and dissect it intelligently. What did he do wrong?

Here's my take:

1) He got the lot 5 days ago and put them in his humidor, which is reading 71%. He smoked "a few" and had "no issues". Hmmm... He got real lucky on the few that he smoked. He got a lot of cigars that came in at an avg rH of around 74%. He left them in a 71% humidor for five days. Gee, I think physics would tell us that he's smoking cigars that are somewhere in the neighborhood of 73%! That any smoked, at all, is VERY lucky, indeed. My insight tells me that the filler in those cigars may be scaring 80%!

2) Why the wrapper cracked. The wrapper cracked because the cigars were simply too moist. It likely started off fine, because the foot and wrapper had dried out a bit. However, once he got a ways back, that excess moisture began to build and build and build. Pretty soon, the filler, then binder, then, finally, the wrapper, could take no more swelling and the wrapper gave up! Boom! Catastrophic materials failure!

Yet, this still does not explain why the wrapper on my G failed. Think about it. To roll a cigar, you need tobaccos, a table, a knife, some skill and some wetting agent.

What went wrong?

I've provided most of the necessary clues.:mrgreen:


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

Ok...I'll take a crack at this. The RP Vintage 92 is made with Dominican & Nicaraguan fillers and binder leaf that is also and uses a 10 year old Ecuadorian Sumatra broadleaf ( the 90 had a 12 year old Honduran ) Anytime you have a thinner binder and/or course filler leaves there is the possibilty of them puncturing the fragile binder...if these burn faster than the wrapper you'll get the characteristic splits and cracks in the wrapper. Ecuadorian Sumatra Broadleaf is a pretty strong wrapper unlike others that are pretty thin. I've got to believe it's a storage issue with the Vintage.

As far as the Oliva G splitting wrappers I don't know that much about them cuz I don't normally smoke the Oliva Line...so I'm interested in why that sucker let loose within the environment it was in..65% is pretty safe. From what I have read about the "G" is that there have been complaints as to them splitting if you Google them. Makes me not want to buy them even though I have tried a couple of them...they just taste like smoke to me without much discernable taste other than that. Ok Don...answer the riddle before my little brain has a melt down. I love riddles! Water has to be the variable and the rollers skill...


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

Cigary said:


> As far as the Oliva G splitting wrappers I don't know that much about them cuz I don't normally smoke the Oliva Line...so I'm interested in why that sucker let loose within the environment it was in..65% is pretty safe. From what I have read about the "G" is that there have been complaints as to them splitting if you Google them. Makes me not want to buy them even though I have tried a couple of them...they just taste like smoke to me without much discernable taste other than that. Ok Don...answer the riddle before my little brain has a melt down. I love riddles!  Water has to be the variable and the rollers skill...


Okay, Dr Fancy Pants (or Depends), I know you know that I know that you're on to the plot! BUT! You missed a vital clue! I didn't say that the wrapper on the G had split. I only said it, "let loose".

Based on your Cigary sense, that would be a very different thing, now, wouldn't it?


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## phager (Jun 28, 2010)

Herf N Turf said:


> To stay on topic and be helpful, let's revisit Mr Shadow's OP and dissect it intelligently. What did he do wrong?
> 
> Here's my take:
> 
> ...


So it sounds like my suspicion of humidity variation was on the mark in the case of the RP, Although for accuracy's sake I should have specifies high humidity of the cigar it self.

In the case of the oliva, I'm sort of stumped. My only guess at this point was a dud cigar. We've all gotten them, even from the most highly respected manufacturer; and really, given the optimum conditions you store you cigars in, poor quality control on this particular stick seems the likely cause of failure.

I'm enjoying this little riddle, even if it does strain my brain at 12:30 in the morning!


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

Herf N Turf said:


> Okay, Dr Fancy Pants (or Depends), I know you know that I know that you're on to the plot! BUT! You missed a vital clue! I didn't say that the wrapper on the G had split. I only said it, "let loose".
> 
> Based on your Cigary sense, that would be a very different thing, now, wouldn't it?


ROFL,,,you know my poor little brain stem doesn't work well at 3:40 in the a.m. Did you smoke that basturd outside? I've had plenty of mine "let loose" when the temps were like they are now and I keep my boys in the optimum range. When I put fire to them in the weather we have now the sucker blew up like the Hindenburg. What are you doing up?


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

phager said:


> My only guess at this point was a dud cigar, poor quality control on this particular stick seems the likely cause of failure.
> 
> I'm enjoying this little riddle, even if it does strain my brain at 12:30 in the morning!


Ahahaha! We're close to having a winner. But, I still want to know what the "failure" was in the manufacturing process.

Come on! You're getting soooo close!


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

Cigary said:


> What are you doing up?


Tormenting you, my friend. 

I had a late night "beat-down" meeting at work, so I am taking my ire out on you.

I love ya, G. Did you happen to see my "teething" post? Im particularly proud of that one.


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## phager (Jun 28, 2010)

Hmmm. Possibly an overly packed section towards the middle? As that section heated up the small amount of expansion of the material caused the wrapper to tear and let go.

The only other option I can think of is that as it reached the midway point, you attempted to remove the band, and it was stuck to the wrapper, causing the wrapper to tear.

Sadly, I'll have to find out the answer in the morning, since I have to be at work in 7 hours! Good night all!


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

phager said:


> Hmmm. Possibly an overly packed section towards the middle? As that section heated up the small amount of expansion of the material caused the wrapper to tear and let go.


Well done, Grasshopper! However, a well applied wrapper would/should accommodate this... You're so close... what happened in the wrapper application process?


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

Herf N Turf said:


> Tormenting you, my friend.
> 
> I had a late night "beat-down" meeting at work, so I am taking my ire out on you.
> 
> I love ya, G. Did you happen to see my "teething" post? Im particularly proud of that one.


I'm thinking the roller was using too much moisture and as the fire spreads upwards to the head an evacuation was the next step.

Did you do the beating or was the beating administered? I remember all too well those "Come to Jesus Meetings" and the blood and the mudd and the tears.

I did not see your "teething" post and I usually scour the site for things like this. I woke up this morning with a headache from trying to figure out your riddle...you're a cruel man Don and even my usual dose of morphine isn't touching this monster. Instead of telling me the answer if you could just shoot me in the head?:fish:


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## tokenindian (Jan 25, 2013)

Herf N Turf said:


> Well done, Grasshopper! However, a well applied wrapper would/should accommodate this... You're so close... what happened in the wrapper application process?


Not to beat a dead horse or bring this back from the dead, but i just smoked a perdomo champagne 10th anniversary and same thing happened to me. Cigar was purchased from a b&m about a month ago and has been sitting in my humidor at around 65-66% and same happened right around the band area. Upon removing the band, the area under it got a little flakey, but nothing to worry about. About an inch from the head there was a very tightly packed area of tobacco. When the cigar had burned to about .5 inches from that spot...BAM crack!. Just another data point so the others don't think you are crazy .


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## CarnivorousPelican (Jan 25, 2013)

Herf N Turf said:


> Well done, Grasshopper! However, a well applied wrapper would/should accommodate this... You're so close... what happened in the wrapper application process?


They didn't apply enough vegetable gum?

Just a guess


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